The story so far: The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on Monday (June 29, 2026) announced two measures to support the Indian film industry. One is a study group led by Prasar Bharati chairperson Prasoon Joshi, the longest-serving chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), to examine the “opportunities and challenges before Indian cinema”. The other is a model cinema regulation that the Ministry has shared with State governments.
What will the study group examine?
The study group is likely to examine the Indian film industry’s lackluster global soft power through cinema. While Indian films in multiple languages are released globally, the audience remains largely confined to the diaspora. Some exceptions exist, such as RRR, which benefited from a re-release in North America that performed well enough to earn the film the award for Best Original Song at the 2023 Academy Awards.
This exception notwithstanding, the Oscars have largely not featured a meaningful slate of Indian films in decades, with Lagaan being the last India-submitted film to be nominated at the turn of the century. Films such as The Lunchbox and All We Imagine As Light, which enjoyed widespread global critical acclaim, were overlooked by the Film Federation of India (FFI), in favour of lesser-known films that struggled to mount the publicity required to warrant serious awards season consideration.
What is on the committee’s agenda?
The committee may, for instance, focus on why India has not produced globally resonating media franchises, as the U.S., Japan and other countries have done. The committee is also set to explore the “impact of new technologies on cinema” and suggest how filmmakers can use AI tools. It will also explore financing problems impacting filmmakers and “identify best practices” with State governments for the “long-term growth of Indian cinema”.
Censorship is not addressed in the study group’s publicly announced terms of reference, even as CBFC-related issues have delayed releases or otherwise curtailed filmmakers’ creative choices over the last decade.
What do the model cinema regulations propose?
In a separate intervention, MIB has come up with model State cinema regulations and sent these directly to States. The Ministry declined to provide a copy of the regulations to The Hindu, but, according to a senior official, it is an exhibition industry-focussed document. It looks at how to “streamline exhibitor requirements, such as those for establishing cinema halls,” the official said, adding that the regulations also seek to streamline clearances and no-objection certificates (NOCs). This is an “advisory” document, the official said, as the regulation of cinema halls falls entirely under the purview of State governments.
“There are timelines, like three weeks for certain things, ten days for certain things,” the official said. On average, India has a population of hundreds for every cinema seat, compared to a few dozen in developed film markets such as France.